New Delhi [India], September 16 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Bollywood actor Sonu Sood and former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa for questioning in connection with its probe into an alleged illegal betting app, officials said on Tuesday.
Uthappa has been summoned on September 22, while Singh has been called on September 23, and Sood on September 24. All three have been directed to appear at ED headquarters in New Delhi.
ED is examining possible financial links and promotional activities associated with the platform named 1xBet, which has been under the scanner of multiple agencies for alleged violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and other laws.
The agency suspects that certain celebrities may have indirectly promoted or endorsed the app, which is banned in India, thereby giving it legitimacy among users.
The case involves the platform operating in India, suspected of money laundering, tax evasion, and rigging its algorithms. The case has been under investigation for the past several years, with authorities alleging that the platform was operating illegally in India through surrogate websites and offshore entities.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier registered a case against the operators of the app for targeting Indian users, after which the ED initiated its own money laundering probe.
This is not the first time celebrities have come under the scanner in relation to betting and gaming apps. In the past, the ED had questioned actors, cricketers and influencers for their involvement in the promotion of offshore betting and gambling platforms that are not permitted under Indian law.
Officials stressed that the appearance of Uthappa, Singh and Sood before the ED is part of the ongoing probe, and further action will depend on the outcome of questioning and financial trail analysis.
The ED is currently questioning Bengali cinema actor Ankush Hazra, as he appeared before the agency following a summons. The agency had also summoned Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela to appear before it for questioning at its headquarters but she didn't appear.
The broader investigation targets various celebrities and influencers who may have promoted these platforms, which are suspected of tax evasion and duping investors, and has also drawn in other actors and cricketers.
The agency on Monday questioned actress and former TMC MP Mimi Chakrabarty for over six hours at its headquarters in connection with the case.
Earlier, the ED had also questioned former cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina.
This investigation is one of several probing against illegal betting platforms. Last month, ED had also conducted multi-state searches in connection with a similar investigation against an online betting app named Parimatch.
The agency is probing multiple such cases involving illegal betting apps that are alleged to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees or have evaded a huge amount of taxes.
Market research agencies and investigative bodies estimate that nearly 22 crore Indians use different online betting applications, with around half of them (approximately 11 crore) being frequent users. Experts assess the value of India's online betting market at over USD 100 billion, noting an annual growth rate of 30 per cent.
Additionally, the government informed Parliament that between 2022 and June 2025, it had issued 1,524 directives to block online betting and gambling platforms.